A variety of systems today include valves, and more particularly, actuatable valves assemblies. Buried sprinkler systems, for example, often include actuatable valves to control irrigation to lawns and other plants in both residential and commercial settings. In another example, fire prevention sprinkler systems often include one or more actuatable valves. In yet another example, many HVAC systems include actuatable valves such as air dampers, water valves, gas valves, ventilation flaps, louvers, and/or other actuatable valves that help regulate or control the flow of fluid (e.g. liquid or gas) in the HVAC system.
Many of the actuatable valves have a rotary axle or shaft that, during use, is actuated by a drive unit such as an electric motor or the like. In a direct coupled actuator, a shaft adapter is often configured to be placed over and coupled to the axle or shaft of the actuatable valve. Once installed, the drive unit may, through the shaft adapter, transmit a torque to the axle or shaft to actuate the actuatable valve.
In some instances, an actuator may include a drive train that is configured to drive an actuatable valve along a range of motion from a first position to a second position via a motor that is coupled to the drive train. In some cases, the drive train may function as a kind of transmission, taking a relatively high speed, low torque output from the motor and turning it into a relatively low speed, high torque output that is suitable for driving the actuatable valve between two or more positions. The drive train may be designed to provide an appropriate balance of speed and torque, depending on the physical characteristics and/or requirements of the corresponding actuatable valve. It will be appreciated, for example, that the torque needed to open and/or close an air damper may be quite different than the torque needed to open and/or close a liquid valve such as a ball valve. In some cases, the drive train may be configured to have an appropriate speed reduction and thus provide an appropriate level of torque. Such actuatable valves may be rotary, linear or any other suitable type, depending on the application.
Most HVAC systems include some sort of fluid delivery and/or circulation system. The fluid can be a liquid such as water or a gas such as air. Such fluid delivery and circulation systems often include a network of pipes or ducts. In many cases, one or more of the actuatable valves are used to control the fluid flow through all of part of the pipes or ducts of the distribution network. In some cases, the network of pipes or ducts is broken up into zones, where some or all of the zones can be independently controlled by one or more corresponding actuatable valves. The actuatable valves used to control the water (or other fluid) flow can be opened and closed to permit or prevent fluid flow to a particular zone. The valves can often be opened and closed by a valve actuator.
Many such systems are often located within walls, crawl spaces, or attic spaces of a structure. These areas are sometimes poorly illuminated and/or cramped, leaving little room for maintenance or other improvements. Installation of a valve actuator on a valve sometimes occurs in such cramped and poorly illuminated areas. Access to these and other areas for the use of tools or even a second hand can often be difficult and problematic. Thus, a need remains for an improved method of installing and/or maintaining an actuatable valve, especially in cramped and/or poorly illuminated areas.